In one of the Evan B Donaldson Adoption Institute E-Newsletters, there was an article about slowdowns, major changes and possibly shutdowns in the three major countries Americans adopt the most from: China, Russia and Guatemala.

This will make “tsunami” sized waves in the international adoption world. In 2006, over... more

Long ago I wrote about the author Francisco Goldman and promised a book review of his first novel. What can I say…Francisco Goldman is an intelligent and eloquent writer, yet rather wordy at times. His knowledge of Guatemala is first hand and his relationship with the country rather complex. He writes during the dark period of the Guatemalan Civil War, a brutal war that raged for thirty years. During this period it was not uncommon for people to... more

For those of you new to this blog wondering what in the world this love on Thursdays is all about, it is really just the one day of the week that some of us bloggers get personal and a tad sappy.

This week I am dedicating this blog to Ella’s youngest brother; the one she usurped for the position of “baby” in the family. But in my heart, he will always be my youngest son and she my youngest child.

With such a huge age difference, there is no fighting over toys or, “Mommy, he hit me,” types of things. When she first came home my son... more

One of the wonderful aspects of Guatemalan adoption is the fact that you can visit during the adoption process. Most adoption agencies recommend waiting until the results of the DNA come back, but some couples even go down to sign the POA (Power of Attorney) when they get their referral.

How do you decide if visiting is the right choice for you? Well, for some couples the cost is inhibitive and the decision is made right then and there. But if there are no financial considerations, you have “only” to consider the emotional ones.

Let... more

Surfing online, I found the following article about Elizabeth Young who was adopted from Guatemala as a toddler. She joined her church for a mission trip to Guatemala last summer and had a remarkable time.

When they were met by a group of Mayan women at the airport, she turned to her mother and said: “Look Mom, my people...Everyone looks just like me, and some of the women are even shorter." Although Elizabeth says that she was never teased for being different from... more

Sometimes I get so caught up doing what “I think I need to be doing” that I forget to just enjoy the here and now. All those so called important things are peripheral in the big picture,and it is in my best interest to keep them there.

Right in front of me there is a little part of “Guatemala,” spending each minute of her day learning about the world around her and how to enjoy it. Yes, Ella is growing physically and intellectually in leaps and bounds, to the point where some days I’m amazed at the things she is capable of doing.

This... more

Our adoption.com editor suggested that I print a draft of a letter to send to your senators regarding the passing of resolution #178; a resolution condemning the cycle of violence against women and girls in Guatemala. I wrote a blog on this a few days ago, and thanks to an e-pal, found the form letter to send.

Please do your part and send letters to your senators. You can find their contact information ... more

By the time you’ve completed your dossier, gotten your referral, waited for the pink slip, and submitted the last documents to immigration when reentering the US, you've dealt with reams of paperwork. The last thing you want to hear is that there is more paper work to do when you get home with your child.

Well, there is, and it is important “stuff.” Here is a “must do” list after you bring your child(ren) home.

Finalizing the adoption (registering the adoption, adoption or readoption)

All these terms pertain... more

With many of us parents planning to travel to Guatemala with our Guatemalan born children in the future, I keep looking for ways to “give back” to Guatemala while we are there.

One organization that I’ve been watching closing over the last couple years is Families Through Guatemalan Adoption. A sub-group called Moms on a Mission is about to head out on their third trip to Guatemala since 2005. Half of... more

Back in April, I wrote a blog about Tristan Guibault. I felt like it was my lucky day coming across such a unique family.

Tristan’s mother, Leceta, is a board member of the Adoption Council of Canada and has written several excellent articles on adoption, all well worth reading. One particular sentence... more